The next part of the gantry cranes part is to make the various components from the timber that was cut yesterday.
I started with the leg braces. These were glued and screwed together to form eight braces and put to one side.
Next were the legs. I used three saw horses on level ground to ensure that I had enough flat space to construct the four legs.
The legs were also glued and screwed but I used 100mm long timber screws. Four of these need to be screwed in flush with the surface so that I can dismantle them form the feet for storage.
Even though I used screws, cramps were added in between the screws to hold the glueing surface together.
The top of the leg is stepped as shown so that the two cross beams can sit on the step for added rigidity.
The last component are the feet. Again, glued and screwed using the timber screws.
Now I wait a while until the glue has grabbed the wood sufficiently before assembling each leg.
Time for a cup of tea.
The first leg took quite a while to construct, mainly because it was the first one.
This the main parts of the leg fitted together and I need to make a bridge piece that covers the joint between the leg upright and the braces.
I made one then used that to mark out the rest.
This is how it fits on the leg.
After lunch I made a start on the other three legs and, as expected, I built the three in the same time that it took to build the first.
The weather forecast suggests that it is going to be foggy and misty tonight so I pulled the legs into the workshop.
This took a bit of doing because they are taller that the rafters and also heavy.
To complete the legs I have to put on the wheels, cut and fit the retaining bolts for the uprights. Once those tasks are done the cross beams will need to be fitted along with the top bracers.
However, for tonight I’m done.
Time for a cup of tea.